Fig. 8.

Expression of Gas-6 in KCs and effect of MerTK activation in KCs on HSC proliferation.

Total RNA was isolated from serum-deprived peripheral monocyte-derived macrophages and from KCs. (A) Gas-6 mRNA expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR and normalized to β-actin. (B) Serum-starved HSCs were exposed to SF medium (Control, white column) or to CM from KCs left untreated (DMSO, purple columns), treated with UNC569 (light purple column) or stimulated with Gas-6 in the presence (light purple column) or absence (purple column) of UNC569. HSC proliferation was assayed by BrdU Cell Proliferation ELISA Kit. Data are mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was assessed by Student's t test. ^#p <0.05 vs. M0 macrophages. ∗p <0.05 vs. SF medium; ∗∗p <0.05 vs. CM of untreated KCs; ^§p <0.05 vs. CM of KCs stimulated with Gas-6 without inhibition for MerTK. CM, conditioned media; HSC(s), hepatic stellate cell(s); KCs, Kupffer cells; qRT-PCR, quantitative real-time PCR; SF, serum-free.